Nothing can ever hold you back from doing what you love. 

That is a message from a teacher who hails from the villages of Falelatai and Samatau, as hundreds of teachers gathered last weekend to commemorate Teachers’ Day in Samoa.

For 27-year-old Leala Uaite Mose, who currently teaches at Aana 2 College on Upolu, life was never easy after he lost his right arm in a bus accident in 2013 – when he was a second-year student at the National University of Samoa.

But he was determined to finish his studies and not let the injury become an obstacle to him achieving his dreams. 

"I was pursuing my dream when the accident happened to me. My goal was to become a teacher, mainly in the area of sports as I was quite athletic back in those days," he said in an interview with the Samoa Observer. 

“I made good use of the sponsorship from the Government of Samoa – through the Ministry of Education – to assist with my studies back then, and it motivated me to work hard."

And work hard he did despite his disability. He had to learn to write again and reuse a computer to type his assignments, but this time using his left hand. 

“It hasn’t been easy. But we cannot make excuses and [we] should be thankful and grateful for the gift of life and make the most of it.”

The hard work and sacrifice paid off and in 2017 he was named the top student for the Bachelor of Secondary Education Programme.

“A lot of people didn’t think I could finish, but I knew in my heart that teaching was my calling from God," he said. 

"To teach the children and help them educationally [drives me]. That is something I want to remind everyone. If you want to achieve something in life, you go for it. Don’t let anything or anyone discourage you from reaching for your dreams.“

Leala Uaite Mose is from the village of Falelatai and Samatau.